


Peace to thy gentle shade

by OrangeBlossoms



Series: FE Rarepair Week Summer 2017 [3]
Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Turned Into a Ghost, F/F, FE Rarepair Week Summer 2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-01
Updated: 2017-08-05
Packaged: 2018-12-09 15:28:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11671887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OrangeBlossoms/pseuds/OrangeBlossoms
Summary: Nyx avoids a curse only to fall into dire straits. Charlotte sees a ghost while on night patrol.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Day 3: Adventure
> 
> I don’t really ship this… at least not in canon for a variety of reasons (ok one main reason), but the idea came to me in the god awful early morning hours and I ran with it. Part 1 goes with the Adventure prompt and Part 2 goes with the Shade prompt. Part 3 goes with the Road prompt. This fic brought to you by atmospheric rain noises (tyvm, Pureauthor) and the Tristram track from Diablo. As seems to be a pattern for me, this is going up a bit early.
> 
> Oh! And the title is from an epitaph written by Alexander Pope

Things spiraled out of control faster than she could have ever anticipated and something went even more wrong than intended. One minute everything was palpable and more present than normal and the next it all felt far away.

Then she fell.

Down, down, down into the depths of some place unimaginable. There might have been a splash and she might have been cold, but it might have simply been her filling in the blanks with what she expected to experience as she wasn't sure there was anything of her that existed to feel those things anymore. She lay there suspended for a time, something between the blink of an eye and eternity, and considered her failure, then her foolish arrogance, then her regret and finally horror at her actions. It all cycled back to a single cynical thought:

_Perhaps I should have chosen a different profession._

She would have laughed had she anything to laugh with, but the darkness seemed to appreciate the sentiment and chuckled sinisterly on her behalf, a chorus of disembodied voices reaching out like prodding hands and crooked teeth. This was what she deserved.

Above was a night sky and below was nothing. The stars and the chill of the dark were old companions, so she grasped for them and even in the nothingness she could feel her magic curl around her lifting her up. The pull from below was great, but her will was greater yet.

As she stretched to touch the inky dark, everything suddenly became chaos as the world flipped upside down, the stars expanded to bursting, and then there was light.

It took her a moment to realize that it was the middle of the night, the light from the moon still infinitely brighter than wherever she was before. Purgatory, perhaps? It seemed too kind a fate for one such as herself. If she had stayed, maybe she would have been consumed piecemeal by the gnawing abyss. 

As she felt herself manifest, a crackling sound accompanying her transcendence to what appeared to be the mortal realm, she noticed a flurry of activity in her surroundings. A woman with long blonde locks had gone slack jawed as she stared in her direction before whipping up her axe to fend off a blow from a monster. Nyx evaluated the scene coolly. The woman's opponent was a large burly creature with a humanoid form and grayish skin. Had she ever wanted to control such a beast herself, she would have been capable. For a moment she wondered if she was about to witness the young woman's death, but with an animalistic roar, she sliced through a bulky arm before cleaving off the beast’s head with her axe.

As the creature dissolved and the woman took gasping breaths, her head snapped up to stare at her again. She hadn't been on the surface long in this form, but her instinct for the arcane made it trivial to decipher several of the tricks in her new toolbox. Nyx might be interested in this warrior woman, but she wasn't quite ready for the woman to be interested in her.

As peculiarly as she arrived, she took her leave much the same way, her form condensing into cool light and snuffing out. She would quietly observe for now. 

\--x--

The tavern was still bustling in the early hours. It maintained an irregular schedule in order to accommodate the night guard. Charlotte stumbled through the front, eyes wild as she scanned the main room for Benny. He was in his usual seat by the back, two tankards in front of him, one for himself and the other for Charlotte.

As she took her seat, he seemed to sense the tension radiating off of her. After a quick reassurance that she was all in one piece, she launched into her tale, words tumbling over themselves in their haste to relay the sight she witnessed on patrol.

“I swear to the gods, Benny, I know it sounds insane, but I saw a wisp during my patrol. Well, it started that way, just a wisp, but then the whole thing appeared. Tall and dark, like in the stories. Her eyes were like pooled blood. Hair like untamed night. I swear to gods she was real.”

“It was a she?” Benny asked before draining his tankard. Charlotte could see his hand shake. Benny was never one for ghost stories and she felt guilty for a moment until her fascination with her encounter compelled her to continue.

“Yeah, I mean, as much of a she as a ghost can get, right?” She took a swig of her ale. “Craziest thing I ever saw. Almost got me killed, too. Got distracted while fighting an ogre.”

“Sounds like a bad omen,” Benny murmured, shifting his bulk in discomfort.

“Maybe, Benny. Best watch yourself next time you’re on patrol. I know they send you solo, too.”

They both paused to drink their ale, Charlotte muttering to herself, “Craziest thing I _ever_ saw.”

\--x--

It was a week later when Nyx chose to reveal herself. She had gathered valuable information and felt confident in her choice to recruit Charlotte for this adventure.

She was physically strong, absurdly so even and hadn't the slightest bit of magic on her person. She had briefly considered her companion, the tall, silent man, but the mere idea of an apparition reduced him to a gibbering mess. In contrast with Benny, Charlotte had spent the week casually inquiring after tales of specters and shadows with a seemingly insatiable curiosity. 

“Hello, Charlotte,” she spoke, appearing silently at her side this time, body levitated in the air as she leaned forward and craned her neck to see her face.

Charlotte whirled, axe in hand. Had she been corporeal, it would have smacked her in the face as soon as the fighter turned.

“It's you! I knew I saw you!” she exclaimed, hefting her axe over her shoulder and pointing a finger. 

“I am Nyx,” she spoke, offering a perfunctory bow, “I come to you with a proposition.”

The glint in Charlotte’s eyes hinted at temptation, but she shook her head.

“No, thanks,” she responded, “I don’t like the sound of making a deal with a shade. Besides, I got work here. Money for my muscle.”

“So, you are a mercenary.”

Charlotte shook her head again, looking almost disappointed at her misstep. 

“No, I fight for king and country like the lot of them, but loyalty and duty don't keep me fed. They don't pay the bills either, you understand.”

“What if I told you I knew a way to get rid of those woes forever. You and yours would never want for anything.”

“It sounds too good to be true, quite frankly,” Charlotte responded, rolling her eyes.

“It's no more a fantasy than you hoping for happiness and satisfaction from the kind of marriage alliance you seek,” Nyx responded, testing out what she guessed was a sensitive point.

“I don't know what you're on about,” Charlotte sneered.

“I told you. I’ve been watching,” she fixed her with a pointed look. 

“Ugh, fine. Well, it was my best plan so far and still seems more solid than whatever phony story you were going to try to sell.”

“Have you heard of the Dragon’s Blessing?” Nyx breathed the phrase, a touch of reverence to add some mysticism and lure in the listener. 

“Tch, I’m not buying it. That's a fairy tale for children,” she asserted, nose wrinkling in disdain.

“I assure you it's very real. The requirements are many, but the rewards are as vast as your imagination allows. You could have wealth beyond what you could ever spend in this lifetime. Or knowledge greater than that ever attained by humankind. These are no deals with demons, but rather with the children of the gods themselves,” she spoke, words convincing even herself. There was power in these promises and truth in the stories. 

“I… did you say wealth beyond what I could ever spend?” Charlotte slowly turned back to face her. 

“Should you wish to concern yourself with such earthly desires, yes, it could be yours,” she said, pledging everything and nothing all at once. 

“How do I know this isn't a sham?”

“You don't, but let me ask you this… before you saw me did you believe in shades?” she queried, and seeing Charlotte open her mouth to respond, she interrupted, “Before you speak, I am not asking if you idly considered them or scared yourself at night as a child with the thought, but did you truly believe someone such as myself could exist?”

Charlotte’s eyes grew sharper as she appraised her. Nix called some spectral flames to lap at her hair and the outer edges of her cape for effect.

“... Not really. Ok, you got me there and you’ve implied what's in it for me, but why can't you just do it yourself?”

She was clever, but Nyx was more clever still. 

“I may be able to slightly alter the world of the living, but I need someone flesh and blood to do the actual heavy lifting. Possession isn't any more enjoyable for the ghost than it is for the host body. Things can get a bit… strange after a time.”

“I’m not going to ask how you know that.” Charlotte stuck her tongue out in disgust.

“Books, mostly, though there was one time..”

“Nope! On that subject, ignorance is bliss. Ok. I’ll help you. What do we need to do?” 

Nyx sat cross-legged in the air and began reciting something old and mostly forgotten except in tales, all with their own errors. 

“From dragon’s blood achieve five tears  
A single gift from younger years  
The final gift a precious thing  
The Dragon’s Blessing these will bring”

She had found the true requirements and had always hoped to pursue it when she had a desire worthy of the effort. Now she had very little choice in the matter. On the second night back above, she heard the abyss call plaintively. It was weak for the time being, but could grow if she had no purpose for being among mortals again.

Charlotte blinked. “But what does it mean? You want me to kill a bunch of dragons? I can handle some wyverns, but I’m not spilling sacred blood. I can be a bit rough around the edges at times, but I’m no heathen. I’m not interested in being on the business end of some kind of holy retribution no matter the riches.”

“Of course not. They are feats of strength, endurance and magic. I expect you to handle the first two and I will take care of the last. I feel that is a fair arrangement. Dragon’s blood refers to dragon’s kin. I know where they all are. Or were before my… demise.” 

“What about my job? I can’t just walk away from guarding. Not without potential consequences,” she said with a grimace.

“I can take care of that. As I said, I am able to make small changes. I suggest you say your farewells and gather what you need. I would like to leave as soon as possible.”

“Give me two days.”

“I will see you then outside the far wall on the other side of the moat. Meet me after the sun has set.”

“Got it,” Charlotte said.

That night she dreamt of gold and wishes, her dreamscape morphing into images of small dragons slithering through piles of treasure.

\--x--

It was day after their agreement that a letter of transfer fitted with a royal seal was delivered to Charlotte. She was to report to Windmire posthaste. She said her good-byes to Benny and treated him to a night of drinks. It was a bittersweet affair and she promised herself that once she had more money than the gods, she'd take care of Benny, too.

It was dusk on her final day when she made her way out the main gate, large pack on her back with supplies to last a long journey. As she crossed over the moat, she began to peer into the growing darkness. Normally, she would have left during the early hours, but it didn't feel smart to test her luck with her traveling companion quite yet.

As she continued on into the twilight, a ghost light appeared filling out into the shape of the woman with wild black hair.

“Nyx,” she said in greeting.

“Charlotte.”

“Where to first?”

“Windmire, of course. Did you not see your letter?”

“Yeah, but I figured it was a fake!”

“In a way it was, but we seek an audience with King Xander,” Nyx said.

“Th-the king?! Why didn't you warn me? I don't have the right clothes for that!” she shouted, leaning towards Nyx.

“Calm yourself, Charlotte. Your furs and armor will be perfect for this first trial.”

Nyx alighted on the ground and made the appearance of walking by her side. They took their first steps together into the dying light.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The originally intended second chapter had to be turned into two chapters because it got too long. Trying to stay on time. I guess the deadlines are good otherwise I would've sat on both of these for a few weeks probably. haha The flipside is they could use a couple more passes, but I already did the tour de force of writing most of it yesterday, so, please enjoy!

The old king was mad. Everyone knew this. He grew monsters instead of crops and waged war against neighbors and his own people alike. Even his direct relations were unsafe in his care. There were whispers that his mind had grown poisoned after consecutive deaths in the royal family. When he passed, Nohr had heaved a collective sigh of relief. Bordering protectorates and annexed countries quietly celebrated what they hoped would be a new era for Nohr and their own territories as well. 

No spouses and only four out of many children survived him, three for the East, West and South and the current King at the country's central seat in Windmire. Princess Camilla, famed Wyvern Knight known for her ruthlessness in battle and open contempt for the Krakenburg Court, called the West her domain; Prince Leo, a Mage of prodigious gifts, stood sentinel over the South; and finally the youngest, Princess Elise, a magic user of her own unique talents maintained relations in the East. 

That left a fifth. Charlotte had inquired and Nyx had assured her she knew where he was and that she needn't worry. There were other questions she posed. Would they need ten dragon’s tears? No, five for summoning. The gifts were for the exchange. Nyx was certain of this. What kind of gifts? The meaning behind them was more important than the monetary value.

Charlotte had stood in line three consecutive days for an audience with no result, waking up well before first light to queue. On the fourth day she finally caught a glimpse of the King as the doors to the throne room opened. He approached the dais from a rear entrance. Clothed in burgundy and black, he took his regal seat as his retainers stood at attention on either side. King Xander was a beautiful man with the bearing fit for a ruler and Charlotte spent much of her time waiting thinking over the opportunities being Queen would provide. It was nearing the end of the daily time granted for audiences that she finally had her moment to speak.

She recited the words Nyx had given to her, feeling her presence at her side. It was strangely encouraging. Concluding her speech, she initiated the rite:

“King Xander, whose veins run sacred with dragon’s blood, heed my humble request. I have come for ritual as ancient as the first ancestor dragon,” she proclaimed bowing low.

There was a confused murmur from those present, but Xander showed no sign of surprise beyond a quirked brow.

“How strange. You are the first in my lifetime. I have to wonder how one such as yourself came upon the forgotten rites. Never mind that. I will not turn you away. For your first sacred rite, a test of endurance. There are man-eating ogres who plague the Woods of the Forlorn. Enter their depths and cull their numbers. My retainers will accompany you to observe and will be quick to notify me should you fail.”

She confidently spun her axe by its handle. This was a test she could pass with ease. It was no different than her many lone patrols in the border wastes. 

The next evening she returned to the castle noticeably worse for wear, retainers organizing a special audience with the King. Exhausted from hours of trying work that was much more difficult among the close trees of the woods than it had been in the barren landscape of the border, she did her best to stand tall in the presence of the King.

“My retainers have relayed your success. You have completed a task I dared not give to our regular patrols after losing several good soldiers to the beasts. I imagine you will continue on your quest, but should you ever desire work in the castle while I still rule, I give you this ring as proof of favor. As you have completed a service to kingdom of Nohr, I shall provide you compensation in the form of coin.”

One retainer handed her the ring and the other a bag she vowed to open as soon as she was out of the royal’s sight. She hadn’t been sending money back home for nearly a month now and the guilt had been nagging at her every night as she went to sleep. To her surprise, King Xander himself rose to bestow on her the final gift, an iridescent drop the color of the sea. 

\--x--

Charlotte wasn’t looking forward to another several days of standing in line for hours on end. Nyx had recommended buying books. That was what she would do with her idle hours, she explained. Charlotte had frowned at the suggestion. After being pressed for her reasons, she admitted to not being very good at reading, so she never picked up the habit, insisting it was for nobles and mages. Nyx promised to help her, intent on the idea that there was a book for everyone. Stopping in one of the larger towns, Charlotte acquired several items recommended to her by a peddler based on descriptions given to her by Nyx. They practiced during the times they stopped to rest, Nyx patient in her instruction in a way she would have not thought herself capable of being when she was alive. Sometimes she would play with little gusts of wind and turn a page, Charlotte flapping a hand at her if she lost her place.

Several weeks after departing from Windmire, they were making their way across vast grasslands to the Western castle to meet a princess. Not a frilly pink-clothed thing surrounded by lace and etiquette instructors, but a battle-hardened warrior. Someone Charlotte thought she could respect though when she shared the sentiment, Nyx had appeared uncomfortable with the thought. Xander was reasonable. Everything Nyx had heard about Camilla suggested she was far less predictable. She had promised to provide support should Charlotte need it, but much like Xander, she wished to stay hidden if at all possible as it would be important for a later trial. 

Nyx was the first to notice them as she winked out of sight with a warning. Two figures rapidly approached in the distance on wyvernback. 

The larger of the two touched down closest to her. Atop an afflicted beast with eyes that glowed red was the singular elder princess of Nohr. Her lavender hair billowed behind her as her mount flapped its wings to slow its descent. In her hand was an ornate axe and in a satchel at her waist were a series of tomes. She dismounted with practiced ease and sauntered over. The other two figures were nearly forgotten as their mistress’s presence commanded all the attention of their target. Both hopped down from the smaller wyvern in the back before stealing their way to Camilla’s side.

“Now, now,” Camilla spoke in velvety tones, “A young woman, traveling alone with only the pack on her back and an axe. It’s such a strange sight.” She drew closer and as Charlotte’s grip tightened on her axe she noticed both retainers draw their weapons. “I will give you a choice. Either best me and my beloved retainers in a three-on-one battle,” she began, lips curling into a wicked grin. “Or grant me a kiss.”

Charlotte had played a similar game with men before. Not that it was always safe then, but this was a far deadlier opponent. It wasn’t worth the gamble. She could feel Nyx’s presence contort into something between anxious and furious at her side, but she didn’t like getting toyed with like this.

Walking over, she lowered her axe, the retainers tensing as she neared. 

“If you prefer the second choice, drop your weapon,” the one with scarlet hair barked, ready to strike if necessary.

Sighing, she kneeled down to place her axe on the ground before raising her unarmed hands. Both retainers backed down, but she could feel each set of eyes trained on her. As she neared, she bowed and extended a hand, soft gloved digits pressed into her grasp. She leaned in to kiss the offered hand just below the knuckles before stepping back. 

“As you wished, milady.” 

Camilla’s heavy-lidded gaze of apathy widened a moment before she burst into a bout of hoarse laughter. 

“What a darling, impish child you are! Don't let it be known that I go easy on the pretty ones. I just might have to hunt you down.” Her tone offered no doubt to her sincerity. 

Her wyvern gave a gurgled cry for emphasis, only causing the princess to laugh more derisively as Charlotte hopped back. Camilla hefted her own axe, a hum of magic surrounding the head before tossing the tear and watching Charlotte scramble to catch it before it fell into the tall grass. 

Holding the second tear in her hands, she watched as Camilla hopped onto her mount, the swordswoman joining the other wyvern rider on her smaller beast. 

“Say hello to Leo for me,” Camilla said and winked before all three took to the skies. 

Waiting until they were no more than dots on the horizon, she slumped over as the tension left her body. Nyx manifested once again, her ghost light wavering in an angry sputter.

“That was foolish,” she said, expression impassive, but her arms were crossed.

“Ah, sorry,” Charlotte said, rubbing the back of her neck, “We got it though, right?” She raised the tear and offered a hopeful smile to Nyx who huffed lightly and shook her head.

“Let’s make camp,” she said as she floated away.

Charlotte jogged after her, smiling again. “You got it!”

\--x--

The trek to the south took far longer than either of the previous journeys. Tensions were high among the neighboring nations. The former king had eroded all trust. There were times they traveled at night to avoid conflicts and had the misfortune to encounter teams of bandits at different points, delaying their progress as they detoured around dangerous chokepoints. 

During breaks in their travels they would practice for the third rite. Nyx was fairly certain it would be a test of magic instead of steel. Leo was a gifted Mage Knight. Several scenarios were crafted for potential tasks. A gifted strategist, the prince would require a fitting plan in turn.

When they finally entered the castle town just before the main gate closed for the night, Charlotte was ready to find an inn and pass out for the evening. As she walked through the streets and began evaluating her possibilities, a hand reached out to touch her shoulder. Before it could reach her, her own lashed out to grasp the wrist.

“Oh! You’re a strong one like they said. I _like_ that,” a silky voice commented, “But my master requests your presence and I’m loathe to disobey, so we must be going. If you ever want to play some other time though…” 

“Who the hell do you think you are?” Charlotte seethed.

“A retainer to Lord Leo,” the man smiled, “That should be enough identifying information for you.”

Reluctantly she loosened her grip before tossing his hand away. He shook his wrist and gave it an admiring glance before looking back to her with a single eye, the other covered by a patch.

“Just follow me. You’ll see. The guards will let us through and milord doesn’t like to be kept waiting,” he explained.

As he said, the night guards recognized the man at all points of entry. Their destination was Prince Leo’s private study. He looked like he had already removed some of his formal vestments in favor of a simple linen shirt and velvet breeches. As they entered, Charlotte saw him pouring over a text. Her escort motioned for her to stay where she was as he went to his master’s side. It was several minutes before anything of note happened, the only sound in the room was that of pages being turned. After what felt like an eternity, the prince looked up. An annoyed expression crossed his face as he evaluated her.

“You are a waste of my time. You haven't even a drop of magic in your blood. What could you ever hope to exchange with me?” the prince spoke, focusing once again on his readings, “You are dismissed.”

Nyx had prepared her for this reaction as well.

“I request the rite nonetheless,” she responded before his retainer could shuffle her out of the room.

With a long-suffering sigh, the prince responded, “I suppose I must. Camilla and Xander would be vexed with me if I turn you away now. Very well, I shall give you a task that will be impossible for someone such as yourself to complete. Show me magic I do not yet know.”

Charlotte offered a genteel smile and bowed before beginning her demonstration. The shade at her side was pleased with the sequence of events.

“It is well-known the art of controlling dumb beasts and monsters made from mud and stone, but have you ever considered the summoning of souls from the clutches of death Herself?” She stopped for a dramatic pause and saw only skepticism in his gaze.

“This is no minor magic,” she continued, “No hidden book nor forgotten tome will tell you this secret.” With a flourish of her hand, the gray ghost light appeared casting a glow that sucked the warmth from the candlelight in the room. She had their attention now and smiled as she saw Nyx’s flame reflected in the eyes of her audience. With another gesture, the light danced above her palm and grew into a serpentine shape, curling itself around her arm. Unraveling, it reformed as a suspended light with a wispy tail. Each small candle was extinguished until all that was left was the hovering phantom glow.

Satisfied with the awe apparent on the face of the younger prince, she brought both hands together like the closing of a book and the apparition disappeared as eerily as it had revealed itself. All at once the smaller flames tentatively hissed back into existence.

A hush had descended over the occupants before new life was breathed into the candlelight, suddenly glowing warmer as if reclaiming the space Nyx had borrowed for their little show.

“How did you do that? That was no mere parlor trick,” Leo said, looking at her with an entirely different expression than the one of disdain he had shot her when he first spoke. 

“That is not part of the rite. I believe I have completed the task you have given to me,” she responded, holding out a hand for the tear, the other confidently propped on her hip.

Governed by a ritual beyond even his understanding, Leo conceded and gave her the tear before sending her away.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And Chapter 3 is also for Day 4 (Shade). woo!

As Charlotte settled into a rented room for the evening, an emptied bowl on a side table and her third glass of spiced wine in hand, the two cackled over Leo’s expression as Charlotte was told to take her leave.

“Quite the arrogant princeling,” Nyx concluded, “And _you_ played a convincing showperson.”

“Aw, thanks,” Charlotte said, waving a coy hand at the compliment, “Acting was kinda my thing once upon a time, y’know. Besides, we practiced a lot. And that was nothing compared to all that stuff you did. I mean, the candles! You just did that on the fly! If _that's_ not a bit of impressive dramatics, then I don't know what is!” She pounded the small wooden table she sat next to for emphasis before dissolving into a drunken giggle. “A lady after my own heart!” She blew her a kiss. 

Nyx rolled her eyes at the tease. 

“Yes, well, everything has gone relatively smoothly so far, so I’m thankful for that,” Nyx said, lounging in the air. Their rented space was without a window, so there was no worry of anyone spying the strange sight. She glanced over to her companion and noticed that her expression had grown suddenly introspective. 

“Is something the matter?”

“Just thinking about things. So, you’ll get your body back, right? This dragon goddess can do that?” Charlotte asked, looking into her cup and leisurely rubbing away a smudge on the table with her pointer finger.

“From everything I’ve read, she can do that and more if asked in the correct way. Her interpretations tend to be charitable as long as the wish is made with the right intent. As I said when we first met, these are not deals with fiends. The divine dragons are the nurturers of the goodwill of humanity.”

“Huh, I’ll have to run my wording by you before we get there then. Anything I can say to butter her up? Show her some real human goodwill to nurture?” Charlotte asked, grinning into her cup.

“There are traditional praises you can use, yes,” Nyx said with a reserved smile, “Perhaps you can write them so you will better remember.”

Charlotte sighed. 

“Maybe when you get your body back you can become someone’s governess with all this learning you push.” Charlotte grinned before tossing back the last of her drink and continuing, “Heck, if it all doesn’t work out, you can be some spoiled brat’s _ghost_ governess. Nobles are all about exclusive prizes. How else do you show status if Lady This has the same dress as Duchess That?”

“Hmph.” Nyx frowned at the joke. “And what about you? Will you serve in King Xander’s court should we fail?”

“Castle guard pay is nothing to sneeze at,” Charlotte retorted, swirling the small bit of wine that was left in her glass, “It’s always an option, but I’d say we’re doing pretty well for ourselves.”

“I’m glad you agree. Now, if you didn’t want to write traditional accolades, you could always send a letter to your parents,” Nyx suggested. 

“Eheh, it’s been a bit, I guess. OK then. Maybe you can look that over for me, too. Don’t want to look too stupid in front of the local cleric when he reads it to them. The old goat used to put in some of his own unsolicited advice about my handwriting when I’d send messages from the border. I bet my parents, bless their souls, were donating some of the money I sent to the ungrateful nag, too.”

They spent some time composing before Charlotte passed out for some well-earned rest. Nyx devoted the evening to hovering invisible over the inn roof and observing the stars of the mortal world only for another vision of a different starscape to cloud her attempts at divination. 

\--x--

As they approached their next objective on the eastern border, jagged peaks loomed. They were nearing the Bottomless Canyon that separated Nohr from the Eastern lands. In the distance, Charlotte noticed a patch of verdant hills in the otherwise desolate landscape. She squinted and wondered if she was experiencing something like a mirage. 

As if reading her thoughts, Nyx spoke, “No, I see it, too. I’m almost certain that is where we must go.”

Charlotte nodded, increasing her pace.

“Did you know they call her the Blooming Flower?” Nyx asked as she walked by her side.

“Never heard that… do you think she’ll have some kind of carnivorous plants I'll have to fight? Or that I’ll have to test my poison immunity or something?” Charlotte speculated.

“Doubtful and please don't try to get yourself killed, by the way. I rather like your company.” Her mouth quirked up in a slight smile. 

Charlotte grinned and elbowed right through the vision of her arm before laughing.

As they approached the final castle, Charlotte noticed it looked more like the type of fortress they would have at the border wall rather than a royal estate for a princess. Yawning canyons on either side were in sharp contrast to the flourishing island of grass and trees. Through a gap in the cloud cover, sunlight shone through onto the fortress. 

Once again she was greeted by the royal’s retainers, a gregarious man with a cleft chin and welcoming grin approached her first.

“You’ve come just in time for tea!” he exclaimed.

“And pastries and biscuits and maybe some of those little sandwiches,” a woman in a suit of armor remarked to his side.

“Tea?” Charlotte asked before she was ushered into the fortress and escorted to a drawing room where a young woman sat.

“Hello!” she chirped, waving and displaying a bright smile and brighter voice.

“Princess Elise,” Charlotte stated, bowing, “I’ve come for the sacred rite, as you must know. If you would please honor me with your request.”

She got up from her seat and waved away the petition. “No, no. Tea first before it gets cold. Oh! And tell your friend to come out, too. We’ll set a place for her, right, Effie?” The armored woman nodded as she tossed back a finger sandwich (or was it three?) before she rearranged the seats around the table.

Charlotte looked down at the princess who was a full head and a half shorter. 

“My… friend?” she inquired with an edge to her voice.

“Yeah! The ghost! Leo and Niles told me all about it. Does she like tea?” she asked innocently, pouring an additional cup.

Charlotte sat at the table with the princess and Nyx appeared across from her, shrugging before she made it appear she was sitting in the cushioned seat. Tea with a princess and a shade. It wasn’t the strangest thing they had experienced on their journey. They all enjoyed their tea and sweets, even Nyx to an extent. Charlotte noticed she would sometimes play with the steam that wafted off her cup. As the afternoon wound down and Charlotte began to feel twitchy from waiting, Elise looked over at her. 

“A tear, right? Here you go!” Elise said, offering the gift with open hands.

“That's it? That's all we have to do?” Charlotte asked, stunned.

“Well, you did say please and if you already bested all my siblings, I figure you’re worthy,” she exclaimed, topping off everyone's tea, including Nyx’s.

\--x--

There were only four Nohrian royals Charlotte had ever heard of and Nyx reconfirmed that fact with her. A fifth bearer of dragon’s blood was something Nyx had puzzled over for many years. If so many of the royal siblings hadn't perished, it would have been a simpler matter. It wasn’t until researching other members of court that she discovered a dark mage with a mysterious past. If he was not with Leo, he could be found in this strange place, rumored to be closely linked with worlds beyond their own. There were times Charlotte would peer into the daytime sky and see unusual colors as if she was viewing the polar lights in midday. Nyx said she could see what it was more clearly, a large gateway in the sky. It was not what they were there for, however, and Charlotte soon grew bored of straining her vision to catch glimpses of the swirling hues. 

As they entered the valley littered with rocky outcrops and enigmatic stone columns, a burst of flame and smoke struck in the distance to the left. Once again a show of pyrotechnics flared up on a different structure to their right. This continued several more times with erratic spacing until the smoke bloomed in front of her, a man stepping out from the vapor, waving it away and coughing slightly.

“Who are you?” Charlotte asked.

The man in question quickly bounced back, raising his arms and twisting his hands upwards.

“I have many names! But the people of this realm call me Odin Dark. Charlotte of Windmire and the fell Sorceress Nyx, I know why you have come!” he called, gesturing with a curled hand and dramatic pose.

Charlotte stepped back. “He knows our names. He knows you're here,” she hissed.

Nyx appeared and evaluated the man.

“How did you know my name?” she asked.

“Lord Leo, of course! I am his trusty retainer. My counterpart trailed you for some time at our master’s command in order to learn your secret. We know who you both are now. It was a clever deception, we all agreed, but I, Odin Dark,” he paused again to pose, “will not be fooled so easily!”

Nyx nodded. “I thought I felt someone watching. Hmm it can’t be helped. Let us get this over with. I know you are dragonkin as well, Odin Dark. Grant us the requirements for this final rite so we may summon a true dragon for her blessing.”

“Show me darkness darker than my own,” the sorcerer proclaimed.

Nyx turned to Charlotte. 

“I ask that you leave for this rite,” she requested, voice low.

“No way! I’m not leaving you here with this weirdo,” Charlotte retorted.

“Hey!” Odin said, ignored by both. 

“Is there nothing I can say to convince you?” Nyx murmured.

“I can take it, whatever it is,” Charlotte said, axe at the ready.

“Close your eyes then, grant me that,” she said, reaching out as if to touch her arm.

“I-I guess I can do that… but let me know if this guy tries anything.”

“I promise. Now, this will take a moment,” she said, drawing on the magic she could still control.

The sun went out, falling unsteadily from its perch in the sky, yet the moon never came to take its place. All was quiet and still. Then the cold arrived before that too disappeared, melting into nothingness. All directions were gone except above and below. The sky turned to night where light devoid stars blinked in and out of existence and time had no meaning. The abyss was endless and favored no one, one life as meaningless and insignificant as the last. She realized with a feeling of dread that her control of the vision was slowly unraveling. As she began to lose her sense of self, she felt the quiet murmurs as they were surrounded. Countless tiny mouths clamored, threatening to gradually consume them all. 

A voice broke through the spell.

“Stand down, ghos-ghostly miscreant!” he gasped, “I’ve seen enough of this foul vision from your evil eye.”

“Very well,” Nyx whispered, his voice enough to pull her back from the abyss. All was returned to normal. It wasn’t until she felt the last threads of her vision dissipate did she notice Charlotte was quivering on her knees, hands in her hair. As she lowered herself to the ground, Nyx saw tears in her eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not important author's notes: Charlotte has a 0 in MAG and a 2 in RES to start. Her base MAG growth is 0% and her RES growth is 5%.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 5 is almost done... and... should go up tonight... or tomorrow (this was another section that was supposed to be one chapter and became two... this is what happens when you get an idea last minute and don't properly plan). I think this would be my first completed multi-chapter thing?
> 
> Oh, and Nyx was a young woman with her own place and a job when she died in this because I don't like the kind of pandering canon was trying to do with this character. Eff that noise. Dark mages seem to get themselves in trouble no matter the age anyway. I also made her a bit more expressive… her face moves so minimally in all of her portraits.

When Charlotte made camp that night there were no playful jabs or stories exchanged. She had pulled herself together enough to shake off the more disturbing sensations from what was obviously more than a vision. Accepting the final tear, she had placed it in a pouch alongside the others. After silently observing her start the fire for the night, Nyx had apologized before going off on her own to do whatever it was that she did while Charlotte was asleep. Every so often she tossed small sticks into the flames of her campfire and listened to them pop. A little harmless destruction was a nice distraction.

There were only two steps left and then what? She had spent plenty of time fantasizing what she would do with all the money. First, build a monstrous estate for her parents to live on complete with live-in staff. They wouldn’t have to lift a finger for the rest of their lives. Then, lord it over the captain of the guard who had demoted her and sent her to work at the border. Finally, throw the best damned party this side of the Bottomless Canyon. Invite Benny and if he couldn't get off work, hire him herself. He deserved better than being a border guard, too. 

She would be the one sought after instead of breaking her back to ingratiate herself. She could make the rules then, much like any of those royals. If she wanted to dress to impress while wielding an axe, ribbon in hair and everything, who would stop her? The imagery was ridiculous, but as she felt her lips curl upward at the thought, she was able to let go of some of the unsettling vestiges from earlier. Standing up, Charlotte stretched out some of the kinks from sitting too long in the same position and decided to look for her friend. 

“Hey, you around?” she called softly, always feeling a tad self-conscious to be talking to what might end up being thin air. She stood for a moment looking for any sign of Nyx.

“Tsk. Guess I’ll go for a walk,” she muttered before picking up her axe, a new one she had bought with gold from several side jobs she had completed along the way. She couldn't go far, not without extinguishing the fire, so she was louder on her next attempt. 

“Hey!” she called again, hands cupped on either side of her mouth to extend the shout. 

Nyx snapped into place next to her with a worried expression.

“Are you alright? I heard you yell,” she said, voice strained and Charlotte noticed the edges of her form looked discolored, somehow less present than normal. 

“Oh, yeah. I just wanted to know where you were.”

Nyx sighed, slumping slightly. “Oh, good. You’re looking… better?”

Charlotte’s mouth split into a pained grin. “I definitely do not want to talk or think about it.”

“Sorry,” Nyx responded, looking abashed. 

“It’s ok. Maybe some other time. Want to bet on the odds I’ll be able to sleep tonight?” she joked.

“Well, I’ll be conscious either way. If you’d like, I can stay with you by the fire.”

“Yeah, I’d like that,” Charlotte admitted.

They both went to sit by the crackling flames, Charlotte returning to tossing small sticks into the fire until she fell into a restless sleep some time after dawn. Nyx continued to stand guard while she dozed, smiling fondly in surprise to hear her snore after a time.

\--x--

Charlotte followed Nyx’s directions for their penultimate destination. It was all that was left before they would go to summon the divine dragon. She already knew what she was planning on giving as her gift from youth. The bow she wore was from before she had left home to make her fortune. For a girl who didn’t receive superfluous gifts growing up, this small token was meaningful in ways that made her second guess her decision, but sentimental value wouldn’t get her far in life. 

As they moved further into the woods, Charlotte began to notice how quiet it had grown. When they first entered, she had seen chipmunks and squirrels at various points in the trees and undergrowth. Birdsong had filled the air, but it was now as if a hawk had been spotted overhead and small signs of life rapidly disappeared as they advanced. 

“This place gives me the creeps,” she muttered.

“It used to be my home,” Nyx said, gaze directed forward as she walked by her side.

“Oh, uh… it's very atmospheric,” she attempted, inserting a bit of cheer in her voice, but knowing as she spoke how false it rang.

“Don't bother.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Charlotte said, blushing in embarrassment, “Sorry.”

“No need. It’s terrible. You’ll see,” she warned, sounding tired.

Charlotte looked over at her in concern. She wasn’t over the vision Nyx had shared in the valley. Weeks later she would wake up in a cold sweat feeling things nibbling at her skin in the dark. 

_“It wasn’t supposed to be like that. I lost control. I’m sorry. When I get my body back I could take that memory away from you, but it would be too dangerous to try.”_

She had asked her what it was and had yet to receive an answer. She thought it over and was startled as Nyx began to speak unprompted.

“Most dark mages tend to grow a bit mad at some point in their lives. It comes with having insights you aren’t meant to have and experiencing things not intended for humans to experience. As seekers of knowledge, we often grasp for the things that are most difficult to know. The members of my family have been dark mages for generations. Many do not live to grow old like the clerics and anima users. I was particularly gifted and arrogant.” Her face contorted at the memories. “Some of my thoughts and actions were very cruel. I have had much time to ruminate over my many failings… while on this journey with you and in that darkness alone. I don’t deserve a second chance, but I hope... hope to atone in the world of the living rather than return to that place.”

Charlotte shuddered at the mention. 

“How long were you there?” she asked with a small voice.

“Years perhaps, but it’s possible saying that is meaningless. There was no time. Only the dark and my thoughts,” she murmured, the edges of her form growing faded as she spoke.

They stopped at a visible boundary. While the animals had quieted, the forest still maintained its lush vegetation up until that point. In the center was a small cottage surrounded by dead grass that was an unnatural gray. The earth below it could be glimpsed in sickly purple patches. 

“I cannot go beyond this point,” Nyx said, demonstrating with an extended hand at the invisible barrier. Her limb, wreathed in flame, blackened and cracked like burnt wood. She grimaced and pulled it back, gasping as it renewed itself.

“But I can?” Charlotte asked, doubtful.

“Toss some greenery and see what happens,” Nyx proposed.

Charlotte picked up a fallen leafy branch and threw it past the barrier. It landed with a dull thump, but did not sizzle and burn.

“It only affects those with large amounts of potent magic… it was meant for a rival of sorts. This is all from the initial creation,” Nyx explained, expression emotionless. 

“Oh,” Charlotte said, appearing unconvinced.

She dipped a tentative toe into the space and felt nothing. Tapping her foot on a patch of the grass that crumbled on contact, she slowly stepped forward, once again experiencing no difference in the air she breathed or ground under her feet. 

“Huh,” she said, turning to look at Nyx.

“Do you remember what you need to retrieve?” she asked.

“Yup. Got it,” Charlotte said, saluting before she walked over to the house. 

When she got to the door, she poked at the handle as a test before jiggling it only to find that it was locked. She turned back to Nyx, who was evaluating her with a nervous frown.

“Sorry! I’m going to have to bust the door down!” she shouted before turning back and lifting her axe. “So useful,” she said, patting the ornamental fixture protruding from eye of the axe before slamming it into the wood to the side of the lock. 

The surface splintered inward with little resistance. After a bit of work, she gave the structure a final kick before stepping through the entryway. Looking around, it seemed eerily preserved. No cobwebs hung in the nooks and corners. A layer of dust covered everything, but most things looked unmoved. She was to go to the living room area and find two tomes. One had supposedly been the first Nyx owned, its pages now devoid of magic as it had been used up years ago. The other was something rarer, a much later acquisition for her collection, potentially one of a kind. 

She was not to enter the study. Nyx had been very specific about this. Charlotte had an uneasy feeling as she walked past the forbidden cracked door. If she had to take a guess, it was the source of whatever corruption plagued this location. Nyx had not wanted to discuss it beyond her initial warning. She shook the thoughts from her head as they were drawn to macabre possibilities.

The wall of tomes was possibly the most intimidating thing she had ever had to read through. Nyx had instructed her on the exact characters she was to look for and the color and size of the volumes she sought. She located the beginner tome first, shivering as she disturbed the items on the shelf. Holding it away from her body with the tips of her fingers, she scanned for the second item. It took some time as the lettering on the spine was old and cracked hinting at an equally brittle interior. She attempted to be more delicate with the second tome, laying it on the flat of her palm and stacking the less valuable item on top. As she walked out, she grabbed her axe and returned triumphant to Nyx.

\--x--

The final destination was a cave in a mountain in the north. It was a crisp fall day when they made their way to the base of the imposing landmark. They stopped a moment at a lake near the bottom. Its waters reflected the image of the changing leaves that covered the foothills with shades of red and gold. Nyx stopped a moment to look at herself, faded and grayer than she had been almost a year ago when she had come back from that place of death. Charlotte had noticed and had pushed herself more than Nyx had felt was advisable to reach the mountains. 

_“I’m hearty and hale!”_ she had insisted the other week after Nyx expressed concern. Instead of slowing, she took it as a prompt to break into a jog for the next stretch of road only to be wheezing by the time they stopped for the evening.

 _“I just… really want to get my wish or blessing or whatever,”_ she had said, collapsing on the ground to rest a few moments. 

Nyx had heard plenty of Charlotte’s plans, but had not shared her own. In a way, the months traveling with her had been the most alive she had ever felt. Before she had been disdainful of others, contemptuous of their simple lives and simpler dreams. In the past, she would have gladly accepted the shackles of servitude to some dark god in exchange for knowledge or power, foolishly ignoring the consequences. Now though perhaps something good could come from her contributions to the world. She glanced back at her companion who stood at the shore. Charlotte waved jovially as they made eye contact.

When she returned to her side, Charlotte gestured to the view. “Beautiful, huh?”

“It is,” she agreed.

They stood for a few more quiet moments as the future possibilities hung nearly tangible in the mountain air.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did it! I got the idea on I dunno what day... Monday or Tuesday or something and slammed it out in less than a week. It totally derailed my rarepair week plans. I don't advise this process. Anyway, thanks for reading!
> 
> (this was supposed to go with the Road theme haha)

Outside had been pleasant despite how far north they had traveled, but the temperature dropped as soon as they entered the cavern. Charlotte could see her breath and was glad for the fur lining much of her armor. It was as if the chill followed them, small curls of frosty air traveling through the passage in movement that was almost whimsical. As the light from the entrance dimmed, Nyx once again traveled at her side as the gray ghost light, her flame casting eerie shadows on the walls. They stopped at a hollowed out chamber and Nyx’s voice spoke though she remained hovering at her side as a wisp.

“This is it. Place the tears on the ground,” she instructed and Charlotte reverently pulled them out of the pouch, lining them up. She stacked the tomes to the side, her axe in hand. She would wait to undo her hair. 

“Might as well look presentable for introductions,” she muttered.

“Now we both do the call.”

They had discussed the process multiple times and Nyx had gone over things the night before. Charlotte still appreciated the calm voice guiding her movements. 

“Divine dragon, nurturer of the goodwill of humankind, we have performed the rites and come bearing gifts. Grant us your blessing,” they spoke in unison.

The tears glowed and then shattered into rays of light. Charlotte looked to her side at the wisp feeling her nervous anticipation. Everything beyond this point would be new. Nyx’s accounts varied too much to be helpful. It was likely there were multiple dragons granting blessings throughout the years. Some would show themselves as winged beasts far larger than any person. Other reports mentioned human children with strange features like pointed ears or sharp teeth. One even described a great forest guardian who often took the form of a young girl with bat-like wings. She had lived among the people and granted many small requests.

Instead of any of those things, two women appeared from outside the circle of Ny’s light. Both wore black and carried knives. Neither matched any of the stories Nyx had shared. Charlotte held tight to her axe, watching them in Nyx’s glow. 

“You have come to speak to our mistress?” the one on the right asked, expression aloof.

“She will be here shortly!” the other jumped in before they could respond, her face more open.

With a gesture from the more serious of the two, the space lit up revealing ice-covered columns on the edges of the room. Nyx chose that moment to fully materialize at her side as her light was no longer needed. Charlotte shot her a hesitant smile, lowering her axe slightly. 

Appearing from behind a column was a third woman who walked on the chilled ground with exposed feet. Her platinum hair fell down her back in waves and she bore the pointed ears many of the manakete had displayed in Nyx’s tales. She stretched and yawned, rubbing some sleep from her eyes. Both women in black bowed low before one created an elegant seat of ice. The dragon thanked her and took her seat.

“Lady Corrin, this human has come for the Dragon’s Blessing,” one spoke.

“Ah, it will be our first, correct, Flora?” 

“Yes, milady.”

Nyx raised her hand in question, “We’ve both gifts for exchange, milady.”

There was a strangled pause as the three strangers exchanged uneasy glances.

“Oh... Oh, I’m so sorry,” she said as she turned to look at Nyx, sounding genuinely regretful.

Nyx could feel Charlotte looking over at her again.

“I’m sorry, Lady Shade, we are bound by laws beyond your ken. We cannot grant wishes to those deceased,” the friendlier guardian explained with an apologetic look. 

Nyx gasped at the revelation, the fringes of her form flickering mournfully. That detail had not been in any account. She knew they could bring back those who had fallen, especially the dead who had passed by what many would consider before their time. She had assumed as long as she was intelligible and making a request of her own will, it could be granted. 

“What about my wish?” Charlotte interjected, stepping forward.

“Our lady will attend to you momentarily,” Flora said, voice severe.

“Beg pardon, but no, that's not what I meant.” She released a breath she had been holding throughout the exchange between Nyx and the dragon.

She untied the bow from her hair before tying it tight to the handle of her axe and then shaking out her tresses. Throwing her silver axe in the pile of gifts, she cracked her knuckles with audible pops and steeled herself for what she had to do.

“That axe is my livelihood. May it be proper recompense for my request along with our other gifts, Lady Dragon. Praise be dragons, their many years make them ever wiser. Praise be the manakete, a gift from the goddess to us all. I wish for Nyx to be restored to life that was so cruelly taken from her,” she paused a moment in thought, “and also, no weird zombie stuff please.” Charlotte bowed, hair creating a veil to block her vision.

A moment of silence swept through the cavern as the dragon thought over the request.

“Your wish has been spoken, considered and shall be granted.” The dragon nodded in her direction before rising from her throne.

“Charlotte, why?” Nyx said, before she began to fade. 

Before Charlotte could respond, she noticed the three others had disappeared from the space and what was left of Nyx seemed to be silently conversing with someone not in the room.

She turned back to Charlotte, speaking in unintelligible, broken dialogue, “I...eet...o...ake.”

“What?” she asked, unable to keep a hint of desperation out of her voice, but it was too late. Nyx was gone. It was her in the cold and the slowly dimming cavern alone, even the gifts had been whisked away. 

\--x--

Charlotte wondered to herself how doing the right thing, the good thing suddenly felt so awful. Her friend had abandoned her. She didn't have an axe, so if she ran into bandits on her way down the mountain, she was a goner or worse. Everything she had worked for over the past year was as dead as ash. No riches. No security. She had made the choice herself. Her ugliest thoughts suggested that Nyx had played her like a fool. That of course she had known about not being able to make her own wish. What an idiot to feel a connection like that. She had already known no one was truly reliable. No one was worth putting first except family. She had learned that lesson already, so why did she do it? She made her way out of the cavern, down the mountain path and to the base of the foothill in a haze, sniffling now and again as her eyes were irritated for some reason. 

_I was stupid._ So _stupid!_

As she descended, her anger fizzled into melancholy. Part of her denied what had just occurred. That couldn't be how it ended. It just couldn't! She would wake up at the campsite and she would poke fun at herself over having a bad dream.

Swiping at her face with an arm to clear the liquid away, she kicked a rock towards the lake at the base of the mountain. What had looked like something from a storybook just this morning now seemed bleak, the distant peaks cold and unforgiving, the fall foliage losing some of its brilliance. She approached the bank, propelling more rocks and leaf litter in her bitterness. As she stopped at the water’s edge she noticed a figure to her side standing in the cold waters. Without waiting to process her surprise, she began running across the shallows, unwilling to take the long way around via the shore. If her boots became soaked, it didn't matter. 

“You idiot!” she cried out in relief, voice cracking on the last syllable as she slipped on algae covered stones smoothed by the ebb and flow of the water. With a crash of small waves she fell before scrambling to pick herself back up, fur lining and wild, wavy mane freed from the bow completely sodden. As her heart had shattered earlier, it mended itself just as quickly and a shift in perspective occurred that forced her to admit to things she had allowed herself to postpone until that moment.

Nyx was jolted from her contemplation of her reflection by a loud call to her right. It would be a shame to get attacked after getting a body back, this one reflecting some of the time she spent in the dark and her year as a shade. Her new riding boots had been left on the shore and she had rolled up her pants to walk into the lazy current barefoot. Feeling anything was a marvel whether it was the chill from the mountain lake, the smooth stones and pebbles under her feet or the muted warmth of the sun of the sun on her face.

She nearly jumped when she turned to see Charlotte tear across the water in full armor like some kind of avenging demon. As she approached, Nyx braced herself for impact, but the stones offered little stability as Charlotte threw her arms around her before both toppled over into the cold water’s embrace.

Charlotte let loose a rowdy laugh and Nyx was surprised to still feel that Charlotte’s skin was warm in the places it brushed up against her own.

“You idiot!” she hiccuped, crying openly, tears mingling with the lake as they fell.

“I-I tried to tell you,” Nyx gasped, crushed by the arms wrapped around her midsection.

“I didn't understand! I thought-I thought-” she stumbled before looking away shamefaced, lower lip quivering.

“That I left you alone,” Nyx said, eyes widening in understanding before urging herself to return the embrace, part of her still reveling in the sensation of touch.

“Gods,” Charlotte said, loosening her grip before leaning back and laughing again as she brought the heel of a palm to her eye, “So, how does it feel?” 

Nyx slowly peeled herself away from her companion, experiencing a strange sense of loss in the process.

“Wet at the moment,” she remarked, her own hair beginning to weigh her down uncomfortably. 

As she stood and wrung the ends out, Charlotte also got on her feet and shivered. It was then that she noticed a horse on the shore, its ears flicked in time with the sounds of their voices.

“We have a horse now?” she asked.

“That and a few other items,” Nyx said in a vague tone, “After all, we provided double the gifts. I don't think I’ll ever find a tome like that again,” she remarked with a wistful sigh. 

“You really weren't kidding with that talk of deals with charitable gods.”

“I might have negotiated a few things after I got my body back,” she explained, “I wasn't dead anymore, you see, but they wouldn't grant anything too extravagant. Turns out resurrection isn't your garden variety wish. It's mostly supplies, but I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.”

Charlotte followed her to the shore, her legs now burning from sprinting through the water in her gear. The wet furs slowed her down even further.

The horse nickered in greeting and Nyx tentatively held a hand out for snuffles. Next to where the mount stood was a sword and scabbard and an axe to rival Camilla’s. The ornamental work was like nothing she'd ever seen and certainly far beyond anything she had ever owned. Next to it was a set of armor.

“That is yours. They called it champion’s armor,” Nyx said, her cheeks coloring at the memory of one of the guardians specifying it was for Nyx’s champion.

The gear was as elegant as the axe with decorative touches on each piece. She grinned and looked over at Nyx who chuckled.

“Go try it on,” she said, shooing Charlotte with a hand gesture.

\--x--

Charlotte watched from the corner of her eye as Nyx periodically flexed her fingers in the air and curled her toes in the earth around the fire pit. She had been embarrassed to admit wanting to first experience being alive again by the lake so she could look at her reflection. She appeared mostly the same as her shade, but warmer.

As they sat side-by-side by the fire, Charlotte in some of her new attire and Nyx in some spare clothing of Charlotte’s in addition to blankets and furs as her clothing dried, Charlotte leaned closer after a time.

“So, where are we going next?” she asked in a casual tone before leaning back, arms propped behind her as she stared into the flames. The use of the plural hadn't escaped her attention. It hung in the air like an invitation.

“I suppose… I suppose I’ve followed you this far.” Nyx pulled the blankets closer.

“If anything, you were guiding us,” Charlotte said, “But now I expect you to pull your own weight.” She wagged a finger and winked playfully.

“Ha That's what the horse is for now.”

“Hmm, I guess.” She was silent a moment. “You wouldn't happen to want to meet my folks? The least you can do for cutting my letter writing in half by dragging me across half the continent and back again. Even if you did vastly improve the quality. I’ll never be able to write with that curlicue script though.”

“Calligraphy.”

“Yeah, that,” Charlotte responded, voice suddenly hoarse.

“You… would want to take someone like me to meet your parents?” she asked.

“I figure whatever happened before is all in the past and I’m no saint myself… As far as I’ve seen, you’re a good person and I’d be honored if you would let me introduce you to them as a friend… or maybe something else, if you're interested in that, too.” She crawled forward picking up a large stick from the ground and began prodding the fire.

“Charlotte…”

Charlotte laughed self-consciously before taking a seat again and looking down at her hands, “I never thought I’d be the one confessing. I thought that… after I did enough work, some man would try to sweep me off my feet, the richer, the better. So, I’m feeling a little lost here. Hopefully my actions spoke uh more clearly than I am right now.” 

She glanced over at Nyx whose face was noticeably flushed even in the light of their campfire. 

“There's no way I could ever repay you-”

“No, wait! Oh for crying out loud,” she said, smacking her forehead, “I’m an idiot. I didn't mean it like that and I don't want anything if it's out of guilt… not from you. I just thought that I didn't want this to end. That I’d be happy traveling with you always. I should've waited. It's been a long day... for you especially.” She paused and ran a hand through her unbound hair. “But just so you know, the wish was my decision and yeah, when I thought I'd been abandoned o-or duped, I was upset… maybe I regretted it for a moment, but I’m so glad I didn't misjudge you. Still, I think I came out ahead. Did I ever tell you I used to be a royal guard?”

Nyx shook her head.

“It pays way better than a border guard and my family's closer. My acting got a bit too convincing and they demoted me and shipped me off to that middle of nowhere post for work that was less ‘strenuous’. I don't think they cared much either way and were happy for any old excuse, but now that I have this,” Charlotte produced the ring King Xander had given her months ago, “I feel like I’ve got a good backup plan and I wouldn't have had it if it weren't for you. I’d probably still be in that wasteland or married to some clod. It's not like the visitors we did get were all that important. So, don't feel guilty, alright?”

“You worked so hard…” 

“Well, sometimes things don't go as planned no matter how hard you work,” she looked over at her, “or how much you scheme. I knew it was a risk back when we first met and earlier today, too. I’m at peace with the results. It is what it is. I just couldn't let you go back to that place. All the money in the world would have been meaningless then.”

Nyx contemplated her words and shuffled closer, awkward in her bundled layers. She placed a hand over Charlotte's, her other still gripping the covers. She could feel a heat in her cheeks that seemed to extend all the way to the tips of her ears.

“Would it be ok if I kissed you?” Charlotte breathed. 

Their eyes met and Nyx nodded slowly. She felt hands pull away to lightly grip her face. Charlotte was a surprising combination of soft and coarse, strong and sweet. Callused hands moved down to grip her waist as her own wrapped around toned shoulders. After not feeling anything for so long, the kiss was almost too much. She pulled back gasping quietly after a few moments.

Charlotte rested her forehead against her own as Nyx traced a pattern on the new armor set. It was white and gold with a padded blue doublet underneath and she looked positively charming in it. Like a prince or hero from tales of old. The kind of thing her younger self wouldn't have been caught dead reading. Charlotte brought up a hand to hold her own and linked their fingers.

“So, will you? Travel with me always? We'll figure out what to do together?” she asked.

Nyx sealed the deal with another kiss just as sweet as the first.

“Always.”

\--x--

The next day they set off together on the same road in eager anticipation of the adventures to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please consider: Hero class Charlotte cipher card art (FE has a collectible card game, if you didn't know). It's one of the nicest cards... and she's got ok proportions (unlike Maribelle's cards where she has the *tiniest* hands... like... it just looks stupid... her Valkyrie card is ok though). even if she's doing the goofy leg lift.
> 
> They both got a class change in the end though I left Nyx’s ambiguous beyond the horse (everybody gets pants or leggings though in my story… what's with all these mounted units that don't have pants? I mean, yeah, fan service, but still.)
> 
> I was told there wasn't enough kissing (there was no kissing at one point… maybe a hug… I don't remember), so yeah, more kissing by request. : b 
> 
> Also, please consider: Battle wives*_*


End file.
